BMDB data

Robert Turnbull was born cir. Mar 1812 Dikehead, Nichol Forest, CUL, ENG, (no record obvious on the IGI. My extracts from the Parish Registers for Kirk Andrews started in 1813, so I would have missed this birth, although a recheck of my notes does show I also searched the Bishop's Transcripts to 1812 without noting it.)4,5,1,6,7 He was baptized on 1 Mar 1812 Kirkandrews upon Esk, CUL, ENG; his St John's College notes showing him as the "S of Robert of Dikehead, Cumberland (and Eleanor)" which nicely supplements the id of Robert's parents from his marriage cert which only states his father as Robert, joiner.4 Robert Turnbull married Mary Ann Livock, daughter of John Livock and Mary Millican, on 12 Jan 1843 St Pancras Ch, Par. of St Pancras, MDX, ENG, Never thought we'd find this marriage. We knew it existed because Robert described himself as a widower when he remarried in Nov 1844.Cue a LIVOCK researcher who searched the web and found Robert's webpage.Cert. shows Robert as a schoolteacher, resid. St Pancras, s/o Robert, carpenter; Mary Ann as spinster resid. St John Hampstead, d/o John Livock, coal merchant; Both of full age, both signed; Wit.: John Livock, Dav(id) Stevenson (who features in son Robert's life, see 1871 census) and Robert's future wife Louisa Philipine Maes, whom he married the next year, as a widower.3,8,9 Robert Turnbull remarried on 9 Nov 1844 St Andrews Parish Ch, Clifton, Bristol, GLS, ENG, to Louisa Philipine Maes, daughter of Louis Maes, cert reads:1844 marriage solemnized at the Parish Ch in the Parish of Clifton in the City & County of Bristol #498 (or 408): November 9th Robert Turnbull, widower, gentleman s/o Robert Turnbull joiner and Louisa Philipine Maes spinster d/o Louis Maes, tobacco merchant, both of full age and resident in Clifton; according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Established Church, by licence by James Taylor in the presence of Augustus Forbes and Sarah Forbes.10,11,5,12 Rev Robert Turnbull died on 6 Feb 1877 in the Vicarage, Wybunbury, Dist of Nantwich, CHS, ENG; Dth notice (Cheshire Observer, 10th Feb) On the 6th inst.Robert TURNBULL, B.A., vicar of Wybunbury, in this county, aged 64";Obit: “The Guardian” (Nantwich) Feb 10th 1877 Death of the Rev R Turnbull, Vicar of WybunburyWe deeply regret to announce that the Rev Robert Turnbull, B.A., Vicar of the parish of Wybunbury, died at five o’clock on Tues afternoon, at the Vicarage, in the 66th year of his age. For a long time the reverend gentleman was in failing health, his decline dating from a stroke with which he was attacked some four years ago when coming out of church. He preached for the last time last Sunday fortnight, when, if we are not mistaken, the address took the form of a funeral sermon upon one of his parishioners. Since then he went away on a visit but returned home a few days ago much worse in health, and gradually sank till he died on Tuesday afternoon. His loss will be deeply felt, as he was very highly esteemed and beloved by his parishioners, to whom he had endeared himself by his kindness of disposition and his readiness to help them in every possible way. His funeral is to take place on Saturday, and the hour will probably be one o’clock or half-past. The friendly societies will follow his ?remsine? to the grave, and there will no doubt be a large attendance of the clergy and gentry of the district. A full account of the funeral will appear in next Wednesday’s Guardian.(but the next paper available was Sat Feb 17th!!)

Another article stated:Mr S Acton, in seconding the proposition, spoke very feelingly of the late Vicar’s generosity, instancing it by the gift of land the Vicar had spontaneously made to the parish for the purpose of enlarging the churchyard, thereby enabling the parish to avoid the great expense which would have attended the forming of a cemetery.13,14,15,16

He was buried in Feb 1877 Old Cem., Wybunbury, Dist of Nantwich, CHS, ENG, March 17th: (The Guardian, Nantwich assumed)THE LATE VICAR OF WYBUNBURY’S MEMORIAL FUNDOn Tuesday last a meeting of the committee of the above fund was held in the Vestry room of the church, Mr Samuel Acton of Hatheron House was in the chair.

The Rev A Atkinson said he had consulted the late Vicar’s family respecting the kind of monument they would like to see placed over his grave, and he had also ascertained what had been the views of the late Vicar himself relative to monumental erections., As the result of his inquiries he thought that a monument such as the one of which he now produced a sketch would commend itself to the feelings of all concerned. The Rev. gentleman then placed before the committee a plan of an upright Latin cross, of polished granite standing on a stone pedestal. The cross is similar to one lately placed in Audlem graveyard.The plan having been discussed and generally approved of by the committee, the following resolution was proposed by the Rev A Atkinson, seconded by Mr John Parkes, and carried unanimously – “That the design exhibited be accepted; that the superintendence of the erection be entrusted to a sub-committee, to be appointed by the meeting, and that the expense be not less than £30 and not more than 40.It was afterwards resolved that the Rev A Atkinson and Mr Samuel Aston should be empowered to sign cheques for this fund; and also that the subcommittee should consist of the Rev A Atkinson, Mr Acton and the two churchwardens, Messrs Parton and Williamson.The results of the subscription lists from the various townships of the parish were as follows:Hatheron 25/10; Duddington and Hunterston 24/9; Stapelay and Batherton 13/13/6; Hough 7/16; Weston 7/15s; Wybunbury 7/4s; Blakenhalt 6/5s; Shavington 6/1; Lea 5/15; Willeston 4/11s; Walgherton 4/7s; Bridgemere 4/5s; Chortlon 2/7/6d; and Rope 1/10s; These sums amount to £130/8s; From Whitchurch, where, as curate, the late Vicar was highly respected, and beloved, there has been received a sum of ?£209?. Other friends outside of the parish have subscribed £109/1s; the total amount of the fund at present therefore, is £438/9s; The subscription lists will remain open until Easter, when the account will be finally closed. It is anticipated that the fund will then amount to at least £450.17,18

Given that I eventually found that the Rev Robert's birthplace was Kirk Andrews, Cumberland, and his birth year was shortly after the marriage of Robert Turnbull and Eleanor Scott, at which time Robert gave his address as Kirk Andrews, the identification of the Rev being the son of Robert and Eleanor was looking more likely, even though no baptism was obvious in the Parish Records (1813+) or the Bishop's Transcripts (to 1812). The marriage cert of Robert and Louisa confirmed the relationship, in that Robert's father was given as Robert, a joiner. Which finally confirmed the link between the "Sir Robert Turnbull in London" and his supposed cousin Stephen in Taranaki, which started the search. Made even more certain by his entry in Alumni Cantibrigienses showing his mother as Eleanor.

The best discovery however, was the identifcation of his first wife, thanks to a researcher of the LIVOCK railway connection who found my webpages.19,4,9

Wills/bequests

Rev Robert Turnbullin the Vicarage, Wybunbury, Dist of Nantwich, CHS, ENG, wrote a will in 1875 leaving his entire estate to his wife Louisa (the will index describing him as a clerk, but the actual document amplifed that to Clerk in Holy Orders) The probate copy was dated the ninth day of (blank) month one thousand eight hundred and seventy five and had no special provisions, and no mention of his children, leaving everything to his "wife Louisa Phillipine her heirs executors administrators and assigns to and for her and their own absolute use and benefit ...". Witnesses to the original will were David and Eliza Stevenson(assumed to be the David and Eliza son Robert was with in 1871, and now, Jan 2014, known to be the sister of his first wife and her husband.)27,14,28 His estate was probated on 21 Mar 1877 Chester, CHS, ENG; administration being granted to "Louisa Phillipine Turnbull widow the relict the sole executor" .. the testator the Reverend Robert Turnbull was late of Wybunbury in the County of Chester Clerk in Holy Orders and died on the 6th day of February 1877 at Wybunbury aforesaid" Estate under £800.14

All the other info

Robert outlived his wife Mary Ann Livock who died in May 1844.29,21,30,3 Robert Turnbull graduated with a BA, or so Crockford's would have us believe, in 1847 from St John's College, Cambridge, CAM, ENG, The St John's College biographical archive confirms he graduated from there with a BA but have 1849 as the date, following "Adm. pens. at St John's, Jan 14 1845" and "Matric, Easter 1845". However they also have him being ordained deacon at Ripon in 1848 and priest in 1849.24,4Rev Robert Turnbull baptized Agnes Speakman on 25 Jul 1871 Nether Knutsford, CHS, ENG, Agnes being his granddaughter.31Rev Robert Turnbull baptized Ruth Speakman on 28 Dec 1875 Middlewich, CHS, ENG, Ruth being his granddaughter.32

Findmypast online at http://www.findmypast.com, Milverton Classical and Commercial School In Connection with the Taunton Deanery Board of Education Master Mr Turnbull, from the Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser Wed 31 May 1843, copy d/loaded May 2014.

"Lorna's Family History Musings", Feb 2005, (until the 1861 census confirmed this relationship it was initially speculative, based on Louisa's birthplace being where eldest known dtr Ellen was born, and marriage place being where the Rev ended his days as Vicar, and her birth date being shortly after the presumed parents marriage. At least one other person agrees, as there's a patron submission on the IGI for Louisa Mary Ann , dtr of Robert, but born 1846 Wybunbury, not Cambridge).

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